The lawmaker representing Surulere I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Desmond Elliot, has denied allegations that he played a leading role in the impeachment of Speaker Mudashiru Obasa in 2025.
Elliot’s reaction followed claims by the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, who recently suggested that the actor-turned-politician was among those behind the controversial move against the Speaker.
Gbajabiamila made the remark during an All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos last Thursday, where he said Elliot’s involvement in the crisis nearly cost him his position.
However, speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, Elliot dismissed the allegation, insisting that he neither initiated nor masterminded the impeachment process.
According to him, he was outside Nigeria when Obasa was removed as Speaker and only signed the impeachment document after returning and discovering that the majority of lawmakers had already endorsed it.
READ ALSO: Desmond Elliot’s Role In Obasa’s Impeachment Saga Almost Cost Me My Job — Gbajabiamila
“It was a topic that was already dead and buried. It was sorted out and the House is already moving on. Right Honourable Mudashiru Obasa continued as the Speaker of the House,” Elliot said.
“I did not mastermind anything. I had nothing at all. The only thing I did was to append my signature when I came back and I saw a bunch of us, if not all of us, had already appended a signature to say, ‘Oh, it was the party who wanted it.’
“But eventually, the number one Asiwaju called and said, ‘I didn’t order that, I didn’t know anything about it,’” he added.
Elliot further explained that he initially believed the directive to remove Obasa had come from the Presidency, which informed his decision to support the move.
He said President Tinubu later clarified that he neither approved nor directed the impeachment, after which lawmakers restored Obasa to office.
‘Gbaja’s comments shocking’
The Surulere lawmaker also expressed surprise over Gbajabiamila’s public comments linking him to the saga.
“So, my leader coming to say this — that he almost lost his job — one I have served and who has always been there for me for this long, to have said that, came to me as a shock,” he said.
Elliot, who is seeking a fourth term in the Lagos State House of Assembly, also addressed reports that the APC leadership is backing Barakat Odunuga-Bakare to replace him.
Despite the speculation, he said no party leader, including Gbajabiamila, had asked him to step down from the race ahead of the party primaries.
“Because I was not asked by him, my leader (Gbajabiamila), never,” Elliot said.
“Even the day I declared, I flew to Abuja to see him again to tell him, ‘Oga’, which is how I call him, ‘Oga, I am here again.’
“But at the end of the day, I am here to also serve the people. I do have the leadership, I do have the people. So, the president has said let the people decide. If they want you to continue, you continue.”
He also alleged that members of his political camp in Surulere were facing intimidation and called on the party leadership to intervene.
“We are being intimidated in Surulere. If you know you are popular on ground, do not intimidate the people,” he said.
Obasa impeachment saga
Obasa was impeached early last year following allegations of abuse of office and gross misconduct levelled against him by lawmakers in the Lagos Assembly.
Following his removal, then-Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda emerged as Speaker, becoming the first woman to occupy the position in Lagos State.
However, Obasa rejected the impeachment upon his return to Nigeria and challenged the decision in court. Weeks later, Meranda stepped down and Obasa was reinstated as Speaker following the intervention of President Tinubu.
A court subsequently nullified the proceedings and resolutions of the Assembly that led to Obasa’s impeachment.
